Sedums 'bless 'em.

 
Sedums are flowering right now but they are very, very small flower heads compared to last year's; so I've cheated and put in a photo from then. These are Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and Sedum 'Matrona'. As tough as they are they do like a little bit of moisture and that they just haven't had. Even so they have managed to at least flower. One good thing about lack of rain is that snails are tucked up fast asleep in their shells and haven't eaten the Sedums, which they absolutely love. 

Gardening is such a Joy.

 
You just never know what you will find when you walk out into the garden. I'm not sure of the name of this plant but without a flower you wouldn't look at it twice! With flowers it is extraordinarily beautiful. This one has powered on through all the non-rainy days and I think the secret is humidity. It is growing in a hanging basket amongst lots of foliage from shrubs and small trees; and in the shade. Its flowers open in the evenings and each one only lasts for one night. This one has just had 9 blooms over a couple of evenings. They are as large as a hand span and glow in the moonlight. 

Stenocarpus sinuatus (Firewheel Tree)

 
This beautiful Australian native tree is flowering right now. It isn't quite as floriforous as previous years but it's pretty darn good; considering the drought, which has sunk its teeth harshly into many of my plants. Most of the natives are coping reasonably well but this a rainforest tree so is right out of its element at present. 

Another 40 degree plus day with no rain. Even the tough old plants like agapanthus are looking very tatty. All my little treasures, like daphnes and luculia, new camellias and some perennials have given up. My hillside of azaleas looks terrible. They are the tough old varieties so maybe they will spring back if it ever does rain again, but they don't look like it today. I walk around what was a beautiful garden and I feel despair. Even the grass is dying and the cracks all over the lawns have to be seen to be believed.

We had a visit from a diamond python today.
Click for more info

Eastern dwarf tree frog

Gardening attracts all sorts of visitors! This very dainty little frog jumped on me as I was cutting back roses today - then jumped from me onto my husband's face. We have many, many tadpoles and lots of these little frogs all over the garden. They particularly like agapanthus leaves as vantage points for their insect hunting.
Click to hear frog

This is not a clear photo and I apologise for that. It is interesting because it shows four different little birds, a Superb Fairy Wren, a Firebrowed Finch, a Grey Fantail and an Eastern Spinebill. It was 45.9 degrees outside and the little birds continued to come to this bird bath all day long and I refilled it many times. The little Grey Fantail stayed there all day with his beak open; he was obviously very uncomfortable outside in the heat. At one time he was joined by another female and three little youngsters, presumably his family, but they only stayed long enough to bathe and then flew off. 

Skink

This handsome specimen of Egernia modesta was seen in an old wood pile near our home today at 3:30pm. It didn't seem at all bothered by our presence until I got too close with the camera. 

Stapleia flower

We've just endured the hottest three days in my history of this garden, (top 45.9 degrees), following three very dry months. Many mature trees are looking very sad and many shrubs look like they may not survive, but this flower took me by surprise this morning. It's flowering in an area that we call The Magic Mountain of the Four Beauties. 

Ruby asks for tummy tickles

Allow me to introduce Ruby, our harlequin great dane. She loves cuddles and really isn't supposed to be on the furniture! 

Olive tree python. A rather lovely smallish snake with almost irridescent colouring on its back. It was in the fernery, just passing through the neighbourhood.Click for more information
 

Diamond python

We tried to go outside just recently only to see a snake tail hanging in front of the door way. By the time we grabbed the camera it had moved up even further, to check out the abandoned swallow nest. It was amazing to see the speed and ease with which it went up that wall, without a toe hole so to speak.

The birds were long gone and so our snake didn't hang around for long either. 

The Sofia dahlia is blooming in the drought alongside the penstemons and agapanthus .

Here's a blue-tongue lizard which has moved into our garden. This photo was taken yesterday through the bedroom window. The reflection of light on the window meant I could see it but it couldn't see me. Otherwise it would have been gone by the time I got the camera. 

First Posting

The hammock is a nice idea but there's better things to do!